Solar doesn’t try to beat the market — it deletes a bill that compounds against you.

Often when solar comes up, someone comes out with:

“Yeah, but I could put that money in the market.”


And they’re not wrong.


They’re just… comparing the wrong things. Because solar isn’t trying to beat shares. It’s trying to do something far more boring — and far more powerful.


Shares Are an Investment

And Solar Is Cost Deletion 😘


When you buy shares, you’re hoping money appears later.

When you buy solar, you’re stopping money from leaving your bank account every single month.


That difference matters.


Power bills are not optional.
They’re not cyclical.
They don’t take a year off because the economy feels weird.


They show up. On time. Every time. And they trend in one direction only.


Solar doesn’t outperform shares by being clever.
It outperforms them by
replacing a guaranteed future expense.


The Market Might Go Up

Your Power Bill Definitely Will 🀷‍♂️


A conservative share portfolio might return 6% long-term.


It might also have:

  • Bad years
  • Flat years
  • “Why did I check my balance today” years


Solar has none of that drama.


Your “return” is simply:

  • Power you didn’t have to buy
  • At prices that inflate faster than CPI
  • Without tax
  • Without volatility


It’s not exciting.


πŸ‘‰Which is exactly why it works.


The Psychological Bit Nobody Talks About


Very few people actually behave like long-term investors.


They:

  • Panic when markets drop
  • Tinker when things are quiet
  • Sell at exactly the wrong time
  • Brag about wins and forget losses


Solar systems don't push you around.


You don’t
need to check graphs, but you want to check graphs of your production and battery SOC.

You're not torn between emotion, logic, and your annoying investor uncle who always brags about his big 'long' while muttering about the length of his shorts. πŸ˜‚


Solar isn't another evil parrot on your shoulder whispering schemes in your ear. It's like the kingfisher on the powerline, sitting there year after year, over looking the neighbourhood while making you feel at home.


“But Shares Compound…”

Yes. And so does solar — just differently.


Solar compounds because:

  • Electricity prices rise
  • Self-consumption increases as your home slowly adapts to the free energy
  • It's stays invested. You're unable to withdraw the investment for your next mid-life-crises escapade.


A kWh you generate in year 20 is worth more than one you generate in year 1.


That’s not speculation.
That’s how inflation works.


Solar Isn’t Competing With Your Portfolio πŸ’‘


This is the bit people miss.


Solar isn’t saying: “Don’t invest.”


It’s saying:“Why are you paying retail prices for power before you invest?”


In most cases, solar should sit below your investments, not instead of them — like insulation, double glazing, or paying off high-interest debt.


You wouldn’t borrow at 7% to invest at 6%.
Paying a power company 35–40c/kWh is the same mistake, just disguised as normal life.


The Cleanest Framing


If you want a clean mental model, try this:


  • Shares grow wealth
  • Solar protects wealth


One chases upside.

The other removes downside.


Both are useful. But only one lowers your cost of living forever. πŸ™

By looka_production_130270016 December 29, 2025
Because the numbers don't lie
By looka_production_130270016 December 28, 2025
Cheap solar isn’t cheap because the gear is bad — it’s cheap because responsibility quietly shifts to the homeowner.
By looka_production_130270016 December 23, 2025
Solar panels are so cheap now that even selling excess energy back to the grid at so-called “peanut” rates can still be a very good investment. So let’s talk about solar the right way — not emotionally, not politically, and not based on what your neighbour reckons. Most people say, “Selling solar to the grid isn’t worth it. It’s peanuts.” And our response is always the same: “Nothing wrong with peanuts” Reality is, solar should be considered in the same way all investments are considered. The question is - What am I spending, and what am I getting ? The Abraham Argument (sorry, its a bit of fun) In the book of Genesis, Abraham argues with God over the prospect of saving Sodom and Gomorrah from a terrible punishment. Moses asked god - “Would you save the city for 50 righteous people?” “How about 40?” “30?” “Come on… 20?” “Wait — before you send the fire — how about 10?” That same bargaining logic works beautifully with solar. Let’s assume the absolute worst-case scenario and argue backwards. Check Out Abrahams Sales-Pitch Imagine this: 18 solar panels Cost: $5,000 (totally unreasonable) Annual generation: ~10,000 kWh Every single unit sold to the grid Buyback rate: 17c per kWh Those panels would pay you $1,700 per year in solar buyback credits. No self-consumption. No batteries. No optimisation. Just exports. That’s under a 3-year payback . What do you reckon? Would you do it? Moses - “I’ve got my hands on the stone tablets. And I’m telling you – you can’t get 18 panels for $5,000. But let me ask you…” How Many Donkeys Would You Trade For 18 Panels? If exports alone deliver $1,700 per year in export credits, would you buy 18 panels if they cost: $12,000? (5.9-year payback) $14,000? (8.2-year payback) How about $16,000 and some unleavened bread? (9.4-year payback) ... $16,000 is about what 18 panels cost for most homes. You can forget the unleavened bread. And by the way, Abraham forgot to tell you πŸ‘‰ $1,700 is the worst this system could save you. Why You'll Save More Than Moses Reckons If you sell solar to the grid, Moses already told you its worth about 17c per kWh (give or take). But the solar you actually use is worth more! It’s worth your retail rate — typically 30–40c per kWh incl GST. That changes everything. Also, If your roof is a decent north-facer with more than a 10° pitch, 18 panels won’t generate 10,000 kWh. They’ll generate more . Good roofs regularly see 11,000 kWh with 18 panels (460w assumed). Great roofs can push 12,000+ kWh per year! Tearing Down The Strawman Argument In the real world: 18 panels typically save ~$2,000 per year without a battery Add a battery and that can push closer to $3,000 per year (book a consult with us to iron out the finer details). So, if Abraham were here, he wouldn’t be arguing about buyback rates. He’d be covering the city in panels to power his DC grain mills and DeWALT power tools. (That's how they built the temple so quick. DeWALT all day)! Because if you can spend $16,000 today and save $2,000 per year minimum , you’re looking at roughly a 7–8 year payback . Over 25 years? That’s $50,000+ in savings when you bake in 3% inflation . Closer to $70,000 if you don't subtract the cost of adding a battery in 5-10 years. But we think the battery will be necessary, because the buyback rates will eventually trend downwards - and you can't expect $70,000 in savings without adding a battery when they become a necessity. The Takeaway Solar exports aren’t the dream scenario. They’re the floor . And when the floor already looks this good… the upside takes care of itself. Disclaimer: You may not be able to sell all of what 18 panels can generate. There are limitations. However - those limitations become entirely irrelevent if your home pulls ~2.5kW of energy during the peak hours between 10 & 2. It's not all that hard to get your home doing this. Pool Pump, Spa, Hot Water Cylinder, Aircon in summer + Fridge and Freezer all add up to a hell of a lot more than a 2.5kW energy demand. And so; the export limit is mostly irrelevant on homes with 18 panels or less. Once you have more than 18 panels, the story changes - but the story is also developing, because more and more networks are unlocking 10kW buyback on one phase, instead of the standard 5kW buyback per phase. And of course, if you have multiple phases (2 or 3) you can get away with 25 - 35 panels and experience zero limits to how much you export.